16 February,2026 02:07 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Image for representational purpose only. Photo Courtesy: File pic
Mumbai doctors have successfully treated a 66-year-old woman who was struggling with severe chest pain and breathlessness that made even short walks difficult. Despite her symptoms pointing toward a serious heart blockage, routine tests showed no major artery obstruction, leaving her condition unexplained.
Using advanced diagnostic technology, doctors were able to uncover a hidden heart condition that often goes undetected, especially in women and diabetic patients. This timely diagnosis helped the medical team choose the right treatment and avoid unnecessary procedures. With targeted medical care, her symptoms gradually improved. Today, she has recovered well and is back to her daily routine, moving freely and living with renewed confidence and comfort.
Using the newly introduced coronary microcirculation assessment with the CoroFlow system, doctors were able to uncover a hidden disorder of the heart's microcirculation, avoid unnecessary angioplasty, and provide targeted treatment. The patient has since recovered well and returned to her normal daily activities.
The patient, Rajni Gaikwad, a resident of Pune, visited Gleneagles Hospital in Parel, with symptoms strongly suggestive of angina. She could barely walk 10 metres before experiencing intense chest heaviness, discomfort, and breathlessness. These symptoms had severely limited her daily routine, leaving her dependent on others and anxious about her health.
Given the classic presentation of heart blockage, the medical team proceeded with coronary angiography. However, the test revealed only moderate blockages of 50-70 per cent, which typically do not cause such severe symptoms. With her distress continuing and no clear explanation, the team decided to look beyond conventional testing.
A specialised Coroflow coronary microcirculation test was performed soon after its official launch in the country, marking the first such case in India as well as in western India in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. The test revealed that the patient's symptoms were due to microcirculatory disease affecting the tiny blood vessels of the heart that are not visible on routine angiography.
Dr Rahul Gupta, director - Cardiologist at the hospital said, "When we perform an angiogram, we are actually able to see only about 5 per cent of the heart's blood flow. This test shows the large arteries, which act like the main pipelines of the heart. However, nearly 95 per cent of the blood flow happens through the tiny vessels known as the microcirculation, and this entire network is not visible on a routine angiogram.
In some patients, these small vessels may be diseased or not functioning properly, even when the major arteries appear only mildly blocked. Because this large 95 per cent of portion of circulation is hidden, patients can continue to suffer from severe chest pain and breathlessness without a clear diagnosis. Identifying microcirculation disease is therefore crucial to understanding the real cause of symptoms and offering the right treatment."
Dr Rahul added, "India is often referred to as the diabetes capital of the world, with a rapidly increasing number of people affected across all age groups. In many patients, especially women and those living with diabetes, chest pain can occur even when angiography appears normal or shows only mild blockages. This is because traditional angiography examines only a small portion of the heart's blood flow, while most of the circulation happens through tiny blood vessels that were previously difficult to assess. This advanced test now helps doctors clearly determine whether chest pain is truly heart-related and select the most appropriate treatment. In this patient's case, the test showed that her major heart arteries were not responsible for her symptoms.
Instead, she was found to have a disease of the heart's microcirculation, a condition commonly seen in people with diabetes. The heart's microcirculation consists of very small blood vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle. When these vessels do not function properly, blood flow is reduced, leading to chest pain and breathlessness even when major arteries appear only mildly blocked.
Based on this crucial finding, we concluded that angioplasty or bypass surgery would not have benefited her and could have been unnecessary. She was instead treated with targeted medications and personalised lifestyle guidance focused on microcirculatory disease. Following this treatment, her symptoms improved significantly, and she is now doing well.
The city-based further explained, "This case highlights that angiography alone does not always tell the full story. If such patients are not diagnosed at the right time, they may continue to suffer, face repeated hospital visits, and develop complications such as worsening heart function and reduced quality of life. By studying the heart's microcirculation, we were able to find the real cause of her pain and provide the right treatment at the right time. When was the patient discharged? Not treating her at the right time could have led to complications like? This approach is especially important for women and diabetic patients, who often suffer silently despite having ânormal' angiography reports."
"I was living in constant fear because even small tasks like walking to another room would leave me breathless and in pain. I could not do my daily activities, and my independence was slowly slipping away. Despite undergoing tests, I still did not have clear answers, which was very distressing for my family. The doctors at Gleneagles Hospital listened patiently and did not give up until they found the real cause of my problem.
After the correct treatment, my pain gradually reduced, and I can now walk comfortably and manage my daily routine again. I am deeply thankful to the doctors and the entire hospital team for giving me my life back and sparing me from an unnecessary stenting procedure," said the patient.
